7 years away from you
by deadkokoro
Summary: It's been 7 years since that day, the day when Gajeel was taken to the underworld. Levy and Gajeel's long awaited reunion
1. Chapter 1

**HI READERS! I STILL CAN'T MOVE ON TO WHAT HAPPENED TO GAJEEL. SO THIS IS MY STORY OF WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN AFTER. REVIEWS ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATED!**

LEVY'S POV

"Levy, you're home already?", Lily asked.

"Yes. There's a big progress in my experiment so I thought that I'll reward myself with a bit of sleep."

"You know what? You should have enough sleep. You've become paler."

"Yes. Yes."

I waved my hand and went inside my room. I took a bath and went to the kitchen to get a beer. Lily then scolded me for not eating properly and always drinking beer. I went back inside my room and sat in the sofa. It'sbeen 7 years and I still can't forget what happened that day. The day when Gajeel...

I grabbed my beer and drank it. I went back and forth to get beer from the kitchen. The next thing I know, it's already morning and I haven't slept at all.

I took a bath, put my clothes on and went outside.

"You haven't slept at all, did you?", Lily asked.

"No", I said while laughing.

"Here."

He handed me a bento box and a tumbler.

"I told you, Lily. You don't have to do this."

"I want to. Please eat it at the university."

I sighed and hugged Lily.

"I will. Thank you."

I'm now a professor at a university. After the battle has ended 7 years ago, the guilds decided to make a university for mages to teach them how to use their magic properly. Aside from being a professor, I'm also a researcher. For 7 years, I've been doing a research about complex magic. I'm trying to put it into a lacrima and it's purpose is to open a way to the underworld.

"Good morning everyone!" I greeted my class.

"Good morning, Levy-sensei."

I taught the class about advance magic. My students all use spells to use magic. With advance magic, they can use any type of magic although it's only for a short time.

After class, they raised their hands to ask questions.

"Sensei, we've heard that you're working on a lacrima-based magic. What is it all about?"

Where did they heard about that?

I laughed at the question as if it's nothing.

"It's a secret."

"Eh?", they said in chorus.

"Class is over. Bye class!"

"Bye, Levy-sensei."

I went to my office, more like it's a library. It's full of books that I need for my research. From the day I've started my research, I was able to complete 98% of it. The last thing to do is to test it but the university is not the place for it.

Two days later, I went back to the place where it all happened. If this is a success then I can finally see him again.

I've started preparing for the "ritual". I've used a special chalk to draw magic circles. While doing so, I've been casting spells non stop. I've put the lacrima in the center of the circle. As I've finished casting the multiple spells, the lacrima sank to the ground. Minutes passed and nothing happened.

It's a fail, huh? It seems that 7 years is not enough to finish it.

I opened my bag to bring out a piece of cloth. I was about to erase the magic circles when it just suddenly glowed. I moved back and watched what's about to happen. I closed my eyes due to the brightness and when I opened my eyes...

"The ground opened!", I exclaimed.

I looked at the hole. I can't see any sign of the ground below. A thin layer of magic is separating me from the underground world. Once I'll put my hands in it, it will suck me and I can only have 50% chance of getting back to Earth.

I've put my hands in and in a few seconds, I've reached the ground. **Wait, let's erase that. I've reached the underworld.**


	2. Chapter 2

LEVY'S POV

Magic Scripture: Light!

My magic is the only light in the darkness. It looks like the land above except that it is lifeless. It's an empty land without any horizon. I've been walking for hours but I haven't seen any person or any living thing. I was expecting that there will be monsters who'll attack me or it will be a place full of fire and rivers of lava based on the novels that I've read. It's not as scary as what I've read but it's a hundred times lonelier. Gajeel stayed in this place for 7 years.

I felt someone poke my back. I looked behind me and I haven't notice that a crowd of dead people were following me all along. I walked a bit faster and they're still following me. Run!

"Gyaaak! What's wrong with them?!"

They're all running and the sight is frightening.

"Magic Scripture: Iron!"

I threw the iron to them but I've forgotten that they're already dead. They crumbled to pieces the moment they were touched by the iron. The scene's horrible. I felt like I've made a big mistake.

"Oi! Did you find anything?"

It's faint but that rough voice, I'm not mistaken. It's his voice.

I ran towards his voice. I've ran and ran but I can't seem to reach the end of this.

"Let's not give up, Levy!", I said to myself.

He continued in speaking and it becomes louder and louder as I ran. It means that I'm almost there.

GAJEEL'S POV

Footsteps... It's running towards us.

"Oi, it seems like something's running towards us."

"Then you should go hide. Gajeel, you're the only living in here so you must preserve that", Raven said.

"That's right. There's still a possibility that you can go back", Misa added.

I've met Raven and Misa while I was chased by the dead. They seem to be different from them. They're like normal people without any problem. I've learned that they died while saving a group of people attacked by bandits. By the way, they're a couple. It become normal to me to see them go lovey-dovey.

"There's no way that will happen", I told them. Of course, it's impossible to go back. I know I've been here for a long time although I don't know how long.

"Gajeel! Someone's here!" They exclaimed. I immediately hide. I can't risk being killed right now.

"Who are you?!", Misa said in an angry tone.

I can the 'thing' breathing hard, trying to breath normally.

"D-Do you know anyone named Gajeel?"

That voice! I looked and saw her. That blue wavy hair and I knew it's her. Something's different though. Her used to be short hair now touches the ground.

We looked at each other. A sudden drop from her eyes and the next second, she jumped at me wrapping her arms around my neck.

"G-Gajeel!" Levy said while weeping.

"W-Why are you here?"

I still can't believe she's here. Raven and Misa looked at us with a puzzled look.

"I came to bring you back!"

This time, she stood up with a smile on her lips. She wiped away her tears.

"Gajeel, who is she?" Misa asked.

"She's Levy. We came from the same guild", I explained.

"I see."

I turned to Levy and introduced Misa and Raven.

"Levy, these are Misa and Raven. They helped me survive here."

"I see. Hello, I'm Levy McGarden. Nice to meet you."

They shook hands.

"Gajeel, are you ready to go back?", Levy asked me.

We're going back? The very thought of going back makes happy at the same time sad since I won't see Raven and Misa again.

LEVY'S POV

Gajeel's in front of me. The real thing is infront me and he's alive and well.

I reached out my hand to him. He first shook hands with Raven-san and Misa-san as a goodbye. I waved my hand to them and this time Gajeel took my hand.

I threw my second lacrima and it opened a path to the land above. We stepped into the light at the same time and when I opened my eyes, we're back. I looked at Gajeel and he looks happy, amazed and scared at the same time. Well, I can understand him. The world changed that much in 7 years. I locked my arms with his arms and he looked at me.

"Let's go see Lily?", I asked him.

"Lily?"

"Yes. Let's go."

While we're walking, I noticed that people were looking at us. Well, by the appearance of Gajeel, everyone would really looked at him. His clothes torn and he's walking barefooted.

I'm really excited on Lily's reaction if he sees his friend again.

I opened the door and saw the look in Lily's face. He suddenly cried and hugged Gajeel. Gajeel hugged him back.

"Levy, thank you!", Lily said.

I smiled back and I can't hold back my tears anymore. I hugged them both and we stayed like that for a few minutes.

"I'll prepare a feast for tonight's dinner", Lily said.

The whole time, Gajeel's just spacing out. I guess, he still needs more time to absorb all of it. I guided him to the bathroom and told him to take a bath. When he finished, Lily and I are already in the dining table. We invited him to sit down. He looked at the food and ate like he didn't for years. Well, I guess that's true. It's been 7 years. We let him eat until he was full.

"How many years has it been?", he asked.

A full stomach made him speak, huh? I guess, it's a good sign that he's fine.

"It's been 7 years", I told him.

His mouth opened from shock.

"It's been 7 years?Huh?", he said.

"Well I guess that's true. Lily learned to cook and you're hair's long. There are also a lot of things new while we're looking around."

I giggled. Well, it's a bit unexpected for Lily to learn cooking.

I told him what happened in the last 7 years. After that, he became sleepy. He's not a good listener to begin with.

"Gajeel, you can sleep in Lily's room. It's big enough for the both of you", I told him.

He didn't reply. Instead, he went immediately to Lily's room. I also went back to my room. Now, I can sleep with peace in my heart.

I felt a sudden movement in my bed that made me woke up. I opened my eyes and Gajeel went beside me. I looked at him and he suddenly blushed. He didn't expect me to be awake,eh?

"What are you doing here?", I asked while smiling.

"I-I just want to."

"I see."

I closed my eyes and laid close to him.

"Do you remember what you said to me 7 years ago?", I asked while my eyes are still closed.

"I don't remember. It's been 7 years", he replied.

"I see."

I faced my back and pulled the blanket for myself. A few seconds later, I felt his hand in my waist and his chin on top of my head.

It seems like we have to do this again from the start. He's still a man of few words but this hug is already more than enough to satisfy me.


End file.
